Photos:
Left: Snowman by Will Grubbs of Moraga Photo A. Firth
Right: Haley and Tommy Richards playing with
their first Moraga snow Photo Sophie Braccini
A small face peers through an early morning window and an excited voice whispers, "Momma, it snowed!" Not what one might expect to hear in our fair cities, but on Monday, December 7th, much of Lamorinda awoke to snowy white yards. Adults and kids alike seemed to enjoy the frosty morning. Snowmen rose from the ground, icy snowballs were gleefully thrown, and early morning walkers and joggers enjoyed views of glistening hillsides and snow-dusted trees. For a couple of hours, Lamorinda was transformed into a lovely winter wonderland.
According to the National Weather Service, it snowed as low as 360 feet above sea level in the wee hours of Monday morning. "We typically get snow on Mount Diablo (elevation 3849 feet), but this is most unusual," said the forecaster. Moraga's elevation is 725 feet, Lafayette is at about 400 ft, and Orinda has an average 800-foot elevation.
Lamorinda occasionally sees snow falling in the winter, but it rarely stays on the ground for long. Janet Foreman, who has lived in Moraga for 45 years, remembers only one other snowy day, when her children were in first grade. "It was in 1972," Foreman recalls, "I remember that the kids wanted to save half of the snow to play in later, but of course, it didn't work." This year, Foreman's grandchildren got their first chance to play in the snow.
Snow in Lamorinda
Photo Doug Kohen
Monday Morning Photo Impressions
Tim Farley from Saint Mary's College shared this clip with us. This is what the late evening of December 6/early morning of December 7, 2009 looked like at the college. Take a moment and enjoy this clip. For maximum enjoyment, please play on your full computer screen.
According to the National Weather Service, it snowed as low as 360 feet above sea level in the wee hours of Monday morning. "We typically get snow on Mount Diablo (elevation 3849 feet), but this is most unusual," said the forecaster. Moraga's elevation is 725 feet, Lafayette is at about 400 ft, and Orinda has an average 800-foot elevation. 
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA